The amount of time it takes to hire someone varies and it depends on the job you’re applying to, how many people have applied and the hiring agency. The hiring agency is responsible for evaluating applications and giving you a status at four points in the application process:

1. Application received

The hiring agency receives your application. However, the hiring agency will not look at your application until the job announcement closes.

2. Application reviewed

The hiring agency has reviewed your application. This may take some time depending on how many people have applied and when the job closed.

3. Applicant referred or not referred

The hiring agency decides to send, or not send, your application to the hiring manager. If you’re eligible and qualified for the job, the agency will pass your application to the hiring manager, who will then do their own review of the applications and schedule an interview if needed. It may take some time to schedule an interview depending on the number of referred applicants. And, there may be more than one round of interviews.

4. Applicant selected or not selected

How long does it take once I get a federal job offer?

If you receive and accept a tentative job offer, it may take a few weeks to a few months before you start the job. The background investigation and other security checks begin once you accept the offer. The length of these checks depends on the security clearance level of the job. Once the background investigation and additional security checks are done, the hiring agency will extend a final job offer and setup a start date.